Project 2025: A Manifesto and Recruitment Effort
Introduction:
The Trump campaign has distanced itself from the conservative Project 2025 playbook, despite the significant overlap between Project 2025 personnel and former Trump administration and campaign staffers. This article explores the details of Project 2025, its components, and the involvement of Trump’s team.
The Components of Project 2025:
Project 2025, spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation in collaboration with numerous right-wing advocacy organizations, consists of two main components. The first is a 900-page manifesto that outlines a wish list for the first 180 days of the “next conservative administration.” This manifesto includes proposals to further restrict abortion access and “dismantle the administrative state.” The second component is an application-only recruitment effort aimed at quickly staffing the administration with loyalists.
Trump’s Disavowal of Project 2025:
On Friday, Trump disavowed Project 2025 in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. He referred to unspecified parts of the project as “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.” Despite his disavowal, Trump’s administration and campaign personnel were involved in the project. Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s campaign’s national press secretary, was among the contributors to the manifesto.
Contributors to the Manifesto:
Former Trump administration officials played a significant role in writing and editing large portions of the Project 2025 manifesto. Paul Dans, the director of the Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Presidential Transition Project, served as one of its primary editors. Dans previously held positions such as White House liaison for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management during the Trump administration. Other contributors include Rick Dearborn, who wrote the White House chapter, and Russ Vought, who wrote the chapter on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and similar executive offices.
Involvement of Former Trump Officials:
Several former Trump administration officials contributed to different chapters of the Project 2025 playbook. Gene Hamilton, who served in the Trump Justice Department and is now the vice president and general counsel of America First Legal, wrote the chapter on the Department of Justice (DOJ). Ken Cuccinelli, who held multiple positions in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), wrote the chapter on DHS. The list of contributors also includes officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Commerce, and Department of Defense.
Peter Navarro’s Role:
Peter Navarro, who advised Trump’s 2016 campaign and served as director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, drafted a chapter on trade policy for Project 2025. Navarro’s involvement highlights the influence of former Trump advisors in shaping the playbook.
Recruitment Efforts:
People close to Trump, including former administration officials, participated in Project 2025’s recruitment efforts. Karoline Leavitt appeared in a promotional video for the Project 2025 academy, alongside Stephen Miller and other former Trump officials. The academy aims to prepare and equip future political appointees for the next conservative administration.
Trump Campaign’s Response:
When questioned about the Trump campaign’s involvement with Project 2025, Karoline Leavitt stated that she appeared in a video for Heritage before joining the campaign. She emphasized that the official policy agenda of President Trump and their campaign was Agenda 47, not Project 2025.
Conclusion:
Despite attempts by the Trump campaign to distance itself from Project 2025, there is clear evidence of involvement from former administration officials and campaign staffers. The disavowal by Trump raises questions about his knowledge and level of control over the project. The influence of Project 2025 on conservative policy proposals cannot be ignored, as it outlines a comprehensive agenda for the next conservative administration.
